“Inhumans” star Serinda Swan defended the wig she wears as Medusa on the Marvel-ABC drama, calling out her character’s much-mocked hair as a technical achievement.
“It’s never been done before,” said Swan, whose character possesses the ability to manipulate her long red hair. “So there’s going to be issues and there’s going to be trials and tribulations. The CGI … there was software that had to be built for it.”
When the characters were first revealed in a promotional photo back in May, the response was largely negative, with some singling out Swan’s hair as the character Medusa as the biggest issue. When the first footage from the show was revealed last month at Comic-Con, the response was similarly negative.
“If we only did things that were perfect, we would never start. And so it’s a really phenomenal start,” she said at the Television Critics Association summer tour Saturday.
Swan also detailed some of the difficulties of acting with the long wig, particularly while the show was shooting in the humid climate of Hawaii.
“There were definitely days shooting in Hawaii, with a four-pound red wig down to my shins, that felt like a very warm cat snuggling my head — one that I was probably allergic to,” she said. “One gust of wind went from real cute to an emergency. You hug somebody, and sometimes you’d get stuck.”
ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey also defended the wig and the special effects work on the show earlier in the day, promising that the footage fans have seen so far remains a “work in progress.”
“A lot of the first stuff was a reaction to Medusa’s wig,” Dungey said. “Fans, as you know, feel very passionately and very strongly about that. We released some new footage at Comic-Con that I think has reversed some of that conversation.”
“This is still a work in progress,” she continued. “We’re coming down to the wire on some of the special effects.”
See New Poster for 'The Defenders,' Plus 40 New Pics From Netflix Series (Photos)
Netflix's anticipated "The Defenders" is out this month, and the streaming service is teasing fans with a new poster and new production stills from season one. Scroll through for pictures of Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Danny Rand/Iron Fist (Finn Jones), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Matt Murdoch/Daredevil in the new series.
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Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver) and Elektra (Elodie Yung), presumably discussing hooded outerwear
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Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver) and Madame Gao (Wai Ching Ho) having a villain hang session
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Elektra (Elodie Yung), post-beating people up
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Elektra (Elodie Yung), getting armed
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Colleen (Jessica Henwick) and Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson)
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Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) and Misty Knight (Simone Missick)
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Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) and Foggy (Elden Henson)
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Karen (Deborah Ann Woll)
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Colleen (Jessica Henwick)
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Luke Cage (Mike Colter)
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Trish (Rachael Taylor) and Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter)
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Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver)
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Colleen (Jessica Henwick) and Danny Rand (Finn Jones)
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Misty Knight (Simone Missick) and Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter)
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Danny Rand/Iron Fist (Finn Jones)
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Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver)
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Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver)
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Misty Knight (Simone Missick)
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Elektra (Elodie Yung)
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Luke Cage (Mike Colter), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Daredevil/Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox)
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Iron Fist (Finn Jones) and Daredevil (Charlie Cox)
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Luke Cage (Mike Colter), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Iron Fist (Finn Jones) and Daredevil (Charlie Cox)
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Daredevil (Charlie Cox)
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Elektra (Elodie Yung)
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Stick (Scott Glenn)
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Danny Rand/Iron Fist (Finn Jones)
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Danny Rand/Iron Fist (Finn Jones) and Luke Cage (Mike Colter)
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Luke Cage (Mike Colter)
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Danny Rand/Iron Fist (Finn Jones) and Luke Cage (Mike Colter)
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Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Misty Knight (Simone Missick)
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Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson)
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Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter)
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Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter)
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Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox) and Misty Knight (Simone Missick)
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Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) and Misty Knight (Simone Missick)
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Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox)
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Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox)
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Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox)
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Danny Rand (Finn Jones) and Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter)
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Luke Cage (Mike Colter), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Iron Fist (Finn Jones) and Daredevil (Charlie Cox)
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Marvel Comics Show debuts Aug. 18
Netflix's anticipated "The Defenders" is out this month, and the streaming service is teasing fans with a new poster and new production stills from season one. Scroll through for pictures of Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Danny Rand/Iron Fist (Finn Jones), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Matt Murdoch/Daredevil in the new series.